Sermon 62 — What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him

Pfeiffer Sermon 62Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Quis puer iste erit? Etenim manus domini erat cum illo (Luc. I, 66.).

‘Waz wunders sol werden von disem kinde? Gotes hant ist mit ime.’ Diu hant gotes bediutet den heiligen geist durch zwei dinc. Daz êrste, daz man mit der hant würket diu werc; daz ander, daz si ein ist mit dem arme unde mit dem lîchamen. Wan alliu diu werc, diu der mensche würket, diu enspringent in dem herzen unde tretent für baz in diu gelider unde werdent vollebrâht an der hant alsô: als der sêle wesen in dem herzen allermeist ist, sô ist ouch daz gesprinc ir werke in dem herzen allermeist. Alsô ist der vater ein gesprinc und ein begin aller götlîcher werke unde der sun ist uns bezeichnet bî dem arme, als dâ geschriben stât an dem magnificat, daz er sînen gewalt vollebrâht hât an dem arme. Sô tritet diu götlîche kraft für baz von dem lîchamen an dem arme in die hant, dâ bî der heilige geist bediutet ist, alsô als diu sêle ist bewunden in dem lîchamen und in materiellîchen dingen, waz man ir geistlîcher dinge bewîsen sol. Her umbe bewîset man den heiligen geist bî der hant, diu diz werc gewürket hât an disem kinde.

Nû merkent, wie diu sêle sîn sol, in der diu gotheit würke. Dâ er sprichet: ein kint, dâ meinet er einen lûtern lust oder eine stat, diu âne vlecken ist. Alsô sol diu sêle lûter und reine sîn, in der got würken sol. Ein meister sprichet: diu êwige wîsheit diu ist beheftet in Syôn und ir ruowe sol sîn in der lûteren stat; unde Syôn sprichet alsô vil als ein hœhe und ein warte. Ze dem andern mâle sol si în gezogen sîn von vergenclichen unde wandelhaften dingen. Ze dem dritten mâle sol si stân an der warte vor künftiger hindernüsse. Nû kumet got durch die gunst unde durch die minne, die er zuo der sêle hât. Sô hât er ir gegeben ein götlîch lieht, daz ime selben gelîch ist, ûf daz er an sîn selbes gelîchnisse an ir lustlîch gewürken müge. Nû enmac minne niht sîn, si envinde gelîch oder mache gelîch. Solte ich einen menschen biten, enpfienge er niht mîn gelîchnüsse in sich, er gevolgete mir niemer willeclîche. Alsô ist ez umbe diu sêle, diu gote volget; wan alliu lît müezent gote volgen, sie wellen oder enwellen. Volgent sie ime niht willeclîche, sô ist ez ime pînlîch; alsô wirt niemer werc lustlîch geworht sunder gelîchnüsse.

Quis puer iste erit? Etenim manus domini erat cum illo (Luc. I, 66.).

“What wonder shall come of this child? God’s hand is with him.” The hand of God signifies the Holy Spirit for two reasons. The first is that with the hand one performs works; the second, that it is one with the arm and with the body. For all the works that the human being performs spring from the heart and pass onward into the members and are brought to completion in the hand. Thus, just as the being of the soul is most of all in the heart, so too the springing-forth of her works is most of all in the heart. Thus the Father is a spring and a beginning of all divine works, and the Son is signified for us by the arm, as it stands written in the Magnificat, that he has accomplished his power with his arm. Then the divine power passes onward from the body through the arm into the hand, by which the Holy Spirit is signified. For because the soul is bound up with the body and with material things, spiritual things must be shown to her through such things. Therefore the Holy Spirit is signified by the hand that has worked this work in this child.

Now take note how the soul must be in which the Godhead is to work. Where he says “a child,” he signifies a pure delight or a place that is without stain. Thus the soul must be pure and clean in which God is to work. A master says: eternal Wisdom is established in Zion, and her rest shall be in the pure place; and Zion means as much as a height and a watchtower. Secondly, the soul must be drawn inward from perishable and changeable things. Thirdly, she must stand upon the watch against hindrances that are to come. Now God comes through the favor and through the love that he has for the soul. Thus he has given her a divine light that is like himself, so that he may work delightfully in her according to his own likeness. For love cannot be unless it finds likeness or makes likeness. If I were to ask something of a human being, if he did not receive my likeness into himself, he would never willingly follow me. So it is with the soul that follows God; for all members must follow God, whether they will or not. If they do not follow him willingly, it is painful to him. Thus no work is ever done delightfully without likeness.

Nû enmac kein crêatûre für baz gewürken denne si an ir selber hât. Dâ von mac diu sêle für baz niht gewürken wan mit dem liehte, daz ir got gegeben hât, wan ez ir eigen ist und ir von gote gegeben ist und ze einer morgengâbe. Nû kumet got mit der minne zuo der sêle, ûf daz sich diu sêle erhebe, daz si mit der minne über sich selber gewürken müge. Nû enmac minne niht gesîn, si envinde gelîch oder mache gelîch, wan alsô verre würket got mit der minne über die sêle. Nû enrüeret diu sêle niht der gnâden werc (wan ez ir nâtûre niht enist), si enkome dar, dâ got selber würket, dâ daz werc alsô edel ist als der wercmeister, daz ist sîn selbes nâtûre, als man prüeven mac bî dem liehte. An dem holze würket ez sîn gelîchnisse, daz ist hitze unde fiur, unde ie der wint mê wæjet, ie daz fiur grœzer wirt. Nû nemen wir die minne bî dem fiure, den heiligen geist bî dem winde: ie der heilig geist vester wæjet, ie daz fiur volkomener wirt, doch niht alzemâle, mêr: algemechlîche durch daz zuonemen der sêle. Wan verbrünne der mensche zemâle, daz wêre niht guot: wan lebte der mensche tûsent jâr, er möhte zuonemen an minne. An bluomen würket daz lieht, daz sie wahsent unde fruht bringent; an lebenden crêatûren würket ez leben: aber an dem menschen würket ez sêlikeit. Daz kumet von der gnâde gotes, diu die sêle ûf erhebet; wan sol diu sêle götlîch werden, sô muoz si über sich selber brâht sîn. Âmen.

Now no creature can work forth anything beyond what she has in herself. Therefore the soul too cannot work forth except with the light that God has given her, for it is her own and has been given to her by God as a morning-gift. Now God comes with love to the soul, so that the soul may raise herself up and through love may work beyond herself. For love cannot be unless it finds likeness or makes likeness; and to that extent God works with love beyond the soul. Now the soul does not touch the work of grace—for it is not her nature—unless she comes to where God himself works, where the work is as noble as the worker, that is, his own nature. This may be observed in light. In wood, light works its likeness, which is heat and fire; and the more strongly the wind blows, the greater the fire becomes. Now we take love by the fire and the Holy Spirit by the wind: the more strongly the Holy Spirit blows, the more perfect the fire becomes; yet not all at once, but gradually through the soul’s increase. For if the human being were wholly consumed by fire, that would not be good; for if the human being lived a thousand years, he could still increase in love. In flowers the light works so that they grow and bear fruit; in living creatures it works life; but in the human being it works blessedness. This comes from the grace of God, which raises the soul up; for if the soul is to become divine, she must be brought above herself. Amen.